The Chronicles of Zeddic
by TheHeartOfADragon
Summary: A teenager, born and raised in the town of Seirville, finds himself bound with fate of the world on his hands. He is one of two living Vampires, the first Dragon Rider, and the mortal worlds only hope at survival against the evil King Olimar of Feinster.


**Zeddic**

Garrett Kraniak

Introduction:

**"His name is Garrison," said the Knight in purple. He was polishing his sword when he happened to notice the Knight in green staring at the other.**

**"Marlow," the Knight in green replied, "my name is Marlow."**

**"Ah, see there, we're getting to know each other now." Replied the first Knight, who was wearing black. He had finished polishing his sword by now, but he continued so that he did not have to look at the green Knight.**

**"What do you think this Elf wants with us, Marlow?" Asked another Knight who wore red. When Marlow just stared the red Knight cleared his throat, "Oh, sorry, I am Lord Baltimore. Now, you were saying?"**

**"I have no idea." Marlow said simply, "I myself would like to know why everyone was asked to wear differing colors."**

**"I feel sorry for the man in yellow." The purple Night said, motioning towards a young man who had been sitting on his horse sense arriving at the base camp. His body, although young as he was, showed the clear-cut signs of aging. If nothing else, the yellow Knight earned some respect from the gash on the side of his forehead.**

**"As if he wasn't put through enough already," Lord Baltimore chipped in. Marlow was about to speak up when yet another Knight, the eighth thus far, arrived in camp accompanied by a slender, silver haired Elf. A few of the Knights gasped, for it had been near five hundred years sense a human set eyes on an Elf. The Knight, dressed in a pearlescent ****orange, had light brown hair with laces of blond. Judging by his face most of the Knights in camp thought he was in his mid forties.**

**"I am sure," the Elf began, "you all would like to know why you have been summoned." Not a man spoke, "Well, let me begin with my name. I am Zephanius Mmort, the last of the Twelve Elves Court members. I have come to ask the Sons of Men gathered here a favor."**

**The Knights looked from one another, and then to the orange Knight. His face showed surprise of his own and he shrugged. The Elf cleared his throat and everyone snapped back to attention. "I will not go into details, and I will not have any bickering or arguing about what I am about to tell you. What you hear from me you shall not pass to another soul so long as you live. Unless they have met the requirements that I have put in place, wards around your mouths shall silence you until the due time."**

**Lord Baltimore stepped up in outrage, "This is preposterous! You have no right to-"**

**The Elf reached out with his hand and sealed the Knights mouth shut. Lord Baltimore's lips sealed together forming a mouth less face. He grunted with heavy breaths and felt around his face, then stared at the Elf with wide eyes.**

**"Do not forget the magic, good men. Now hear my words." Zephanius released the yellow Knights lips before continuing, "Long ago, there lived a great evil in our land. They were called the Vampires." The purple Knight walked forward, but was silenced when the good Elf raised his hand to stop him. "Leagues of Elves, Dwarfs, Orcs, and Sons of Men were created by the Ancestral Council to eliminate this evil. So they did, with a zeal that has not been matched to this day. The Vampire kingdom of Gaul was taken down, and the leagues that were created hunted the remaining Vampire's until none remained."**

**The purple Knight raised his hand, "I know of the Vampire's, Master Elf, my lineage is full of Vampire Slayers." Nods and agreements came from the other Knights, who then realized what the connection was. The purple Knight continued, "What is the point of this meeting?"**

**The Elf smiled and shook his head lightly, making his grand head of hair sparkle in the morning sun. "The point of this meeting, good Knights, is that there are still Vampire's roaming the realm of Men."**

**All the Knights in attendance swore. Many showed more fear than they would ever admit to, while others tried to hide it. In the end every Knight was as scared as a jackrabbit. The Elf let his words sink in for a moment and then moved on, "As far as we know, there are only a few Vampire's. We know not where they are, or what their names be, nor what they look like, except one."**

**The Knights looked around, puzzled that the Elf stopped. Mmort spoke at last, "I have called a Knight from each of the nine kingdoms of Men, except one. Who among you is missing?"**

**"I am from Bardika." Said the black Knight. "And I from Gidreon." Said the yellow Knight. The others then called out their homes one by one. When the last had finished Lord Baltimore said, "There is no Knight from Feinster."**

**"Is the Vampire one of the Knights of Feinster?" Marlow laughed hideously, "I would **_**love **_**a chance to get my hands around a particular ones neck!"**

**"Nay, the Vampire who dwells in Feinster is neigh untouchable. He is not whom you seek." Replied the Elf.**

**"Who is the Vampire, then?" Asked the blue Knight.**

**"King Olimar."**

**Much to the Elf's surprise, not a Knight had anything to say about it. None seemed any more or less scared then when he'd first announced it. He smiled once again, "My mission, dear Knights, is one of more importance. One which can tip the scales in our favor, if we find this Vampire before the King."**

**"Ye want us goin' searchin' for a Vampire, in each of our kingdoms, without the slightest hint of what we be lookin' for?" Said the Knight in silver.**

**The Elf reached into his saddlebag and grabbed eight stones, each one matched the color of a Knights armour. The men grabbed their stone and then returned to their former places.**

**"These stones have been infused with the first four elements of magic, being fire, wind, earth and water." Mmort explained, "These will give you limited access to magic, allowing you to find the hidden Vampire faster."**

**"Not a one of us has the ability to use ye Elven magic. Nor does we have any training." Said the silver Knight.**

**Again the Elf reached into his saddlebag and pulled out eight rolled up pieces of parchment paper with the same colored seals as their armour. He handed each of them out and then said, "These will tell you a list of spells which you may use to find or even track this being. Also, it gives you a rough understanding of magic itself. The first rule of magic, my good Men, is never do more than you are capable of. Your strength determines the level of magic you can use. The more magic you use the more chance you have of dying. To use it, you must use your bodies energy and essence. Use too much, and you over exert yourself, perishing into the Void."**

**"Sounds dangerous," the black Knight said, "are you sure we can do this?"**

**The Elf's smile came back yet again, lifting the dispair many of them felt in an instant. "I was told of your humility, Master Aggedo. For my sake I hope you do find the missing Vampire."**

**Then Marlow raised his hand, "The Elves, throughout the centuries, have taken pride in their magic. How is it your magic wont show you this hidden Vampire so you yourselves can go find it?" The smile the Elf had vanished and he replied, "Our magic was long ago hindered by the Sons of Men who dabbled in our art. Many curses reside over your lands which even our best magician cannot counter save for the small bit we gleamed today."**

**"Do ye truly trust us, oh Master Elf?" Asked the silver Knight.**

**"This mission is for the Sons of Men, for it is their realm which is in danger. Our great Queen sees this itself as an act of generosity after what the human magicians have done to Ellasmera." He replied.**

**"Ye avoided a simply question, sir." The silver Knight said.**

**The Elf grabbed the reins of his horse and turned to the west, "I have chosen carefully." He said, then vanished into the depths of the mysterious Wayward Forest. The Knights looked one to another in astonishment.**

**"Well, this was enlightening." Said Lord Marlow. "What shall we do now?"**

**"I think it'd be best if we returned to our fair kingdoms, and do as the Master Elf has instructed." The silver Knight replied, "May we one day meet again, good Sir's. T'was a pleasure bein' with ye."**

**Not too soon after the silver Knight left, so did the others. All of them had a single, ominous thought pulsing through their minds.**

_**The Vampire's have returned.**_


End file.
